Painting dates back to the prehistoric era of cave dwellers around 20,000 B.C. In analyzing its history, the continents of Europe and Africa played a major role in the history of art. Some caves in these continents still contain many paintings that have been amazingly well preserved. They have been sealed up for a prodigious number of centuries, and to this day, colored drawings of animals and crude human figures can be found with a great attention to detail inside many of these caves. Additionally, people of prehistoric times have been noted for drawing pictures of nature and wildlife in some of these caves as well. In particular countries in Eastern Europe, cavers contain paintings with rich, bright colors using earth ochers and manganese elements as some of the tools used by the primitive people for painting their surroundings. These elements were applied to the walls of prehistoric caves with ancient brushes and helped to capture the beauty and serenity of nature around the primitive people from centuries ago.
With human evolution over the centuries, painting also evolved and new techniques with new materials were incorporated to create various styles of art. However, dating as far back as the prehistoric era, it is important to note that cave dwellers were the original people that invented the standard tools to create paintings. These tools form the basis of many of today's current painting methods and techniques.
Centuries after the prehistoric era, as painting continued to evolve, the Greek and Roman classical painting style came to light. Painters of this era created a unique style of encaustic paintings which were made on wood while melted beeswax was also used with paint to create portraits. Although this era was thousands of years ago, the portraits, especially of mummies and tombs, have lasted throughout time.
Furthermore, dating forward, to the 15th century, the Renaissance era gave way to more enlightening artistic accomplishments particularly with revolutionary styles of painting. Several notable painters in the Renaissance era helped to advance painting especially by incorporating a three dimensional style complimenting the new progressive trend of the 15th century. During this era, much of the paintings were performed on tightly stretched canvas as opposed to the previous methods of wood mediums. There was less concern with perspective patterns in painting, and more emphasis on decorative patterns. The famous artist Leonardo Da Vinci also came to light in this era. Although very few of his paintings have survived throughout time, one of his notable works is known as the Last Supper in which his distinguishing style of using oil paint can be exampled by modern painters today.
Influenced by the Renaissance era, other cultures in Europe in the following centuries began applying unique painting techniques. In Holland, the famous painter Rembrandt was gifted and talented in capturing human emotions. His paintings were particularly dark in tone and included many layers. In contrast, painters in Venice such as Giovanni Tiepolo painted with colorful frescoes on buildings to capture the past glories of the history of Venice.
In the 1800's the great center of the arts was established in the country of France, and during Napoleon's reign, two styles of paintings emerged: Classicism and Romanticism. These styles were influenced by previous eras and focused on ordinary subject matter. Painters worked out of studios and focused on methods and techniques for capturing the effects of light using the more accepted method of oil on canvas. This in turn influenced the later style of painters who are referred to as The Impressionists. To this day, Impressionism is widely accepted as the most effective style of painting which captured a scene of nature exactly as it was. Impressionist painters studied the effects of light in color to an extreme. A famous painting method used by two of the most famous Impressionists: Claude Monet and Pierre August Renoir was the small, even length brushstrokes. As an example of their style, when painting scenes of crowded people, the two painters exemplified images that appear to fade away in the sunlight with the unique use of their brushstrokes and color selections.
Influenced by previous centuries and accomplishments overseas, painters of the 20th century particularly in the United States, began to show more enthusiasm in painting and artwork. Paintings of landscapes and portraits by American painters were based on European styles dating back to the 18th century. In the 1900's Americans were following the European trends of painting with more intimate passion. A style of painting called: expressionism was popular in the United States and focused more on color, design, and rhythm. While in turn, painters were constantly looking for new ways to apply brushstrokes to various mediums. The idea was focused on creating originality and freedom by using bolder techniques to express a newer vision of art.
Today, painting is considered the romantic form of capturing the aforementioned eras of history. Many modern day painters continue to include old styles from prior centuries by using oil paint on wood as opposed to the popular canvas setting. By staying consistent with the three dimensional styles dating back to the Renaissance, painters have shown still yet a desire to use a flat wood or a stretched canvas back drop in certain cases. Although these techniques have been widely successful throughout history, we have seen fewer of the three-dimensional wood backdrops used by artists in more recent times. As noted above, before the Renaissance era, the more common medium for painting back drops was wood.
By taking facets of history prior to the Renaissance era and applying painting techniques to the ever changing styles of modern day expressionism, society can benefit from a three dimensional wood medium back drop to further enhance an image or portrait in a painting.